Ardo confirms 2027 closure of Groß-Enzersdorf plant

Ardo is sticking to plans to close its frozen-food plant in Groß-Enzersdorf, in Lower Austria’s Gänserndorf district, ORF reported after talks between the company and federal and provincial officials on Wednesday. The future of around 500 farms remains uncertain.

The company plans to process this year’s harvest before beginning a phased withdrawal, which it expects to complete by mid-2027. Production equipment will be moved to another Ardo location in Europe, leaving the company with only its sales operations in Austria.

Ardo said it had carefully considered selling the plant but would not pursue the option. It cited structural business challenges, including costs that make the site significantly less competitive than comparable production facilities in Central and Eastern Europe. A new owner would also need to spend heavily to modernise the plant, and Ardo said it did not believe a buyer could realistically return it to profitability.

The company also said it had examined possible support measures for the plant but concluded they would not resolve its underlying economic challenges and could expose it to legal and financial risks.

Ardo will now focus on a social plan for employees and discuss ways to cushion the effects of the closure for farmers. Federal and provincial officials and the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture criticised what they described as Ardo’s lack of willingness to compromise. They said talks would continue, including direct contact with the company’s Belgian owners, and that government support offers remained available.